Talk in Tongues - Alone With a Friend (Fairfax Recordings)

Talk in Tongues is an LA buzz band with very young musicians who write psych pop like they are very old souls. Indeed, when hearing fuzzy pop gems like “Still Don’t Seem to Care”, you’d swear you were amidst the swinging 60s, at least in your head. This single also reminds me of someone less obvious: Mew. Just listen to the vocals and harmonic sequences and you might hear what I do. Or how about that opening track, “Time’s Still (For No One Yet)” with those chiming guitars, stellar harmonies, and all over the place drumming percolating through the mix? And how awesome does the future look for these guys when they are creating music of this quality at such a young age? “While Everyone Was Waiting” starts out with overdriven guitar and funky bass (sort of like Roxy Music), though it definitely continues along the psychedelic spectrum to familiar places. I really enjoy the vocals and trippy guitar lines, elevating a somewhat ordinary foundation to something special. “Mas Doper (Love Me Probably)” has that somewhat glossy LA sound, but its cheery, tuneful heart makes it memorable. “After Tonight” starts off all bouncy and breezy and has a slight Love vibe, and is another sparkling gem in this band’s musical display case.

“Call For No One Else” has cool bongos and flute starting out, while “She Lives in My House” ratchets to 11 on the fuzzed out guitar scale. I also really like the keyboards that are inserted tastefully through the mix and the flute that shows up around the 2 minute mark. Everything clicks on this track, which is my favorite on this album. “Who Would’ve Guessed” vocally reminds one of The Beach Boys at the beginning, and includes marvelous, trippy synths. “Always All the Time” has funhouse organ and is slower paced than I’d like. Everyone will hear something different in these grooves, from Tame Impala over to Pink Floyd, but no matter, this young band will not disappoint. Catch them while they’re still playing smaller clubs.

Check out the band’s label here and also over at Facebook.